Sewing Equipment
Small Equipment
Measuring Tools:
Pinning Tools:
Cutting Tools:
Marking Tools:
Pressing Equipment:
- Tape Measure- flexible tape that is 60 inches long. Can be used to take body measurements and measure fabric.
- Seam Gauge- with a 6-inch scale, this is used to measure short lengths such as hems and seams. There's a marker on it for the width to be measured.
- Hem Gauge- made of metal or plastic, this tool marks straight or curved hems.
Pinning Tools:
- Silk Pins- made of stainless steel or brass, they can be used for other fabrics too.
- Ball Point Pins- these are silk pins with with rounded points that allow them to slip easily between strands of yard, preventing fabric snags.
- Pin cushion- come in many different styles, some are plushy and some are magnetic.
Cutting Tools:
- Dressmaker Shears- shears with bent handles that allow fabric to lie flat on the table as you cut.
- Pinking Shears- also known as scalloping shears; with these you can finish a seam edge or other raw edge on firmly woven fabrics. The zigzag or scallop design helps to prevent raveling.
- Rotary Cutter- has a round, retractable blade makes straight, clean cuts that can cut through multiple layers of fabric.
Marking Tools:
- Fabric Marking Pen-pen with disappearing ink that you can mark on both sides of the fabric with. Some disappear when treated with water, some evaporate with time, usually in less than 48hrs.
- Tracing Wheel and Paper- use a smooth-edged wheel for delicate fabrics and a saw-toothed wheel for most others. Special wax carbon paper for tracing comes in several colors. Washing or dry-cleaning the fabric removes the tracing marks.
- Tailor's Chalk- smalls squares or pencils that will mark fabrics. These markings can be brushed away or will disappear when pressed with an iron.
Pressing Equipment:
- Iron- has a wide temperature range for all fabrics. A combination steam-and-dry iron gets best results.
- Ironing Board- a level and sturdy surface with a tight fitting cover and smooth padding. A silicone treated cover helps prevent scorching ans sticking.
- Tailor's ham-a firm, round cushion used to press curved areas of a garment, such as darts and curved seams.
- Sleeve Board- a small ironing board about 20 inches long; used to press narrow areas, such as sleeves, that don't fit over the end of a regular ironing board.
- Seam Roll- a long, firm tubular cushion used to press long seams and small curved areas. A seam line can be pressed without having the imprint of seam allowances showing through the right side of the fabric.
- Point Presser-a narrow wooden surface with a pointed end for pressing collar points. Other edges can be used for pressing curved and straight edges.
The Sewing Machine
- Bobbin- holds the bottom or bobbin thread.
- Bobbin Case- holds the bobbin in the machine and regulates the tension of the bobbin thread.
- Bobbin Cover or Slide Plate- covers the bobbin and bobbin case in the machine; may be a small-hinged cover that flips open or a sliding cover.
- Feed Dog or Feed- teeth that move the fabric under the pressure foot, advancing the fabric one stitch at a time.
- Foot or Knee Control- regulates the starting. running , and stopping of the machine by the amount of pressure applied to the control.
- Hand Wheel- controls the movement of the take-up lever; can be turned by hand to raise or lower the needle.
- Hand Wheel Knob- small knob inside the hand wheel, which stops the needle from moving while a bobbin is being wound.
- Needle- machine needles come in different types and sizes; must be inserted firmly into the shaft called a needle bar.
- Needle Clamp- holds the needle firmly in the machine; loosened and tightened by a screw.
- Power and Light Switch-turns on the machine and the light.
- Presser Foot- holds the fabric against the feed dog as you stitch.
- Presser Foot Lifter- raises and lowers the presser foot.
- Reverse Button- button or lever that allows backwards stitching.
- Spool Pins- holds the spool of thread.
- Bobbin Winder- spindle latch, and tension discs used to wind thread onto a bobbin.
- Stitch-length Control- regulates the length of a stitch.
- Take-up Lever- controls the amount of thread pulled from the spool to the needle for each stitch; moves up and down as you stitch.
- Tension Control- regulates the tension placed on the needle thread by tightening or loosening the tension discs, which the upper thread passes through.
- Thread Guides- help guide upper thread from the spool to needle without tangling.
- Throat or Neck Plate- located directly under the needle and surrounds the feed dog; usually has seam width guidelines to help keep stitching straight.